Licenses & Requirements

A CAPTAIN'S LICENSE, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A "SIX PACK", OR USCG OUPV (OPERATOR OF UNINSPECTED PASSENEGER VESSELS) LICENSE ALLOWS YOU TO CARRY UP TO SIX PAYING PERSONS FOR HIRE ON A SMALL UNINSPECTED VESSEL, UNDER 100 GROSS TONS. NORMALLY THE VESSEL IS USED FOR FISHING, DIVING OR SIGHTSEEING CHARTERS AND IS LIMITED TO SIX PASSENGERS PLUS THE CAPTAIN AND CREW MEMBER(S). THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF OUPV LICENSES:

OUPV NEAR COASTAL

THIS LICENSE ALLOWS THE OPERATOR TO CARRY UP TO SIX PASSENGERS FOR HIRE ON AN UNINSPECTED VESSEL UNDER 100 GROSS TONS OFFSHORE OUT TO 100 NAUTICAL MILES. THIS LICENSE REQUIRES OPERATORS TO PROVIDE PROOF OF SEA SERVICE FOR 360 DAYS OF EXPERIENCE, 90 DAYS MUST BE SEAWARD OF THE BOUNDARY LINE. 90 DAYS OUT OF THE 360 DAYS MUST BE WITHIN THE PAST 3 YEARS AND YOUR SEA SERVICE TIME MAY BE DATED BACK TO AFTER YOUR 15TH BIRTHDAY.

OUPV INLAND LICENSE

THIS LICENSE IS FOR OPERATORS OF VESSELS INSHORE OF THE BOUNDARY LINES AND EXCLUDES THE GREAT LAKES. YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF SEA SERVICE FOR 360 DAYS EXPERIENCE, 90 DAYS OUT OF THE 360 DAYS MUST BE WITHIN THE PAST 3 YEARS AND YOUR SEA SERVICE TIME MAY BE DATED BACK TO AFTER YOUR 15TH BIRTHDAY. THIS LICENSE MAY BE UPGRADED TO AN OUPV NEAR COASTAL ONCE YOU HAVE ATTAINED 90 DAYS OF SEA SERVICE EXPERIENCE SEAWARD OF THE BOUNDARY LINE.

OUPV GREAT LAKES & INLAND

SIMILAR TO THE INLAND LICENSE, BUT REQUIRES AT LEAST 90 DAYS OF SERVICE ON THE GREAT LAKES.

*SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE OUPV COURSE AND TESTING AT OURLOCATION, NOT USCG!

*SEA SERVICE- MAY BE COUNTED ON YOUR OWN VESSEL AS WELL AS SOMEONE ELSE'S VESSEL.
YOU WILL NEED A SEA SERVICE FORM AS WELL AS PROOF OF VESSEL OWNERSHIP.

*YOU WILL HAVE ONE YEAR FROM COMPLETION DATE TO SUBMIT YOUR FEES AND CREDENTIALS
TO THE USCG FOR REVIEW. ONCE APPROVED BY THE USCG, YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR LICENSE.

UPGRADE TO 25/50/100 MASTER'S LICENSE

YOU MUST FIRST OBTAIN AN OUPV LICENSE PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR MASTER'S LICENSE.A USCG MASTER'S LICENSE IS NECESSARY TO OPERATE ANY VESSEL INSPECTED BY THE USCG. THESE TYPES OF VESSELS USUALLY CARRY MORE THAN SIX PASSENGERS SUCH AS COMMERCIAL DIVE BOATS, HEAD BOATS AND TOUR BOATS. THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT CLASSES OF MASTER'S LICENSES YOU MAY OBTAIN FROM THE USCG, WHICH IS DETERMINED BY YOUR SEA SERVICE TIME AS WELL AS THE TONNAGE AND TYPE OF VESSEL YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE OPERATING. YOU MAY USE YOUR TIME FROM YOUR OUPV SEA SERVICE TOWARD YOUR MASTER'S LICENSE. THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF MASTER'S LICENSES:

MASTER INLAND

360 DAYS EXPERIENCE SHOREWARD OF THE BOUNDARY LINE SINCE AGE 16. 90 OUT OF THE 360 DAYS ARE REQUIRED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

MASTER INLAND/OUPV

360 DAYS EXPERIENCE SINCE AGE 16. NINETY OF THOSE 360 DAYS ARE REQUIRED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WITH 90 OF THOSE 360 DAYS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY LINES.

MASTER NEAR COASTAL

720 DAYS EXPERIENCE SINCE AGE 16. NINETY OF THOSE 360 DAYS ARE REQUIRED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WITH 360 OF THOSE 720 DAYS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY LINES.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:

*19 YEARS AND OLDER

*A PHYSICAL EXAM (UNLESS YOU HAD ONE IN THE PAST 3 YEARS)

*A DRUG TEST OR ENROLLMENT IN A USCG APPROVED DRUG CONSORTIUM FOR 60 OUT OF THE *LAST 185 DAYS, WITHOUT FAILURE. THIS IS A US FEDERAL DRUG SCREENING TEST.

*U.S. CITIZENSHIP

TOWING ENDORSEMENT

THIS ENDORSEMENT IS FOR PERSON'S WHO WISH TO ENGAGE IN ASSISTANCE TOWING FOR A FEE, SUCH AS WORKING AS A TOW BOAT OPERATOR, TOWING DISABLED VESSELS, VESSELS AGROUND AND SALVAGE OPERATIONS.

TWIC CARD

TWIC IS A COMMON IDENTIFICATION CREDENTIAL FOR ALL PERSONNEL REQUIRING UNESCORTED ACCESS TO SECURE AREAS OFMTSA-REGULATED FACILITIES AND VESSELS, AND ALL MARINERS HOLDING COAST GUARD-ISSUED CREDENTIALS. INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET TWIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ISSUED A TAMPER-RESISTANT CREDENTIAL CONTAINING THE WORKER'S BIOMETRIC (FINGERPRINT TEMPLATE) TO ALLOW FOR A POSITIVE LINK BETWEEN THE CARD AND THE INDIVIDUAL.